Double cylinder cam arrangement



June 13, 1967 H. PAEPKE 3,324,684

DOUBLE CYLINDER CAM ARRANGEMENT Filed June 19. 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 E \n w LL INVENTOR M f/m A WI/()4 Q BY J ATTORNEY June 13, 1967 E E 3,324,684

DOUBLE CYLINDER CAM ARRANGEMENT Filed June 19, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4

INVENTOR Hard )1: .114.

ATTORNEY June 13, 1967 H. PAEPKE 3,324,684

DOQBLE CYLINDER CAM ARRANGEMENT Filed June 19, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Jaw ATTORNEY June 13, 1967 H. PAEPKE DOUBLE CYLINDER CAM ARRANGEMENT 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 19. 1964 kpkt Ill.

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INVENTOR /kw/ WW BY 6 I rw ATTORNEY June 13, 1967 Filed June 19, 1964 H. PAEPKE DOUBLE CYLINDER CAM ARRANGEMENT 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR United States Patent 3,324,684 DGUBLE CYLINDER CAM ARRANGEMENT Horst Paepke, Taiifingen, Germany, assignor to Mayer 3: Cie., Tailfingen, Germany Filed June 19, 1964, Ser. No. 376,321 Claims priority, application Germany, June 26, 1963, M 57,311 8 Claims. (Cl. 6614) The present invention relates to a links and links knitting machine, and more particularly to a circular knitting machine and method for operating the same to produce a continuous links and links knitted fabric.

Circular links and links knitting machine with two needle beds, but only one set of needles are known. Each needle is constructed with a hook on both ends, and is operated by jacks located in the slots of aligned needle cylinders.

It is the object of the present invention to improve knitting machines of this type in such a manner that the machine is more efiiciently used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circular knitting machine in which the stitch means of the upper and lower needle beds and the other cam means of the cam boxes are staggered.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circular knitting machine in which for the same diameters of a pair of aligned needle cylinders, twice the number of feeding stations and knitting systems can be provided as compared with conventional machines of this type.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for making a continuous links and links knitted fabric in such a manner that under the control of the cams of one needle bed purl loops, and under the control of the other needle bed knit loops are made.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a circular knitting machine in which idle movement of inoperative jacks are avoided.

It is a characteristic feature of the knitting machine according to he present invention that the knitting systems of the machine are arranged and operated in a novel manner. V/hile in the prior art, the sections of the knitting systems are aligned, the sections are staggered half the effective length of a knitting system so that, for example, the stitch cams of the lower bed are staggered half the distance between two consecutive stitch cams of the other bed. All other cams and parts of the cam boxes, and also the yarn feed means are staggered and offset in the same ratio, so that the coupling of the jacks with the needles can be controlled in a particular manner.

Due to the staggered position of the two knitting systems and of the stitch earns, the two beds alternately constitute knitting stations so that for each bed, and for each stitch cam. respectively, an individual yarn carrier has to be provided.

One embodiment of a links and links knitting machine according to the invention comprises first and second rotary coaxial cylinders having aligned axially extending slots and forming a gap between each other; first and second jacks mounted in the slots of the cylinders for movement in axial di ection; and cam box means including first cam means surrounding the first cylinder and second cam means surrounding the second cam cylinder. The first and second cam means engage the first and second jacks re- I spectively for moving the same in the slots during the rotation of the cylinders. Each cam means includes stitch cam means, such as a cam of particular shape, which are circumferentially spaced a selected distance. The stitch cam means of the first and second cam means are staggered half this distance.

Needles having hooks at the ends thereof are mounted in the slots, and are alternately coupled with the jacks so as to be moved from one cylinder to the other cylinder while forming loops.

First and second control means are mounted in the cam boxes for coupling the first and second jacks with the needles and for disengaging the first and second jacks from the needles. The control means include radial cams with projections and recesses cooperating with the ends of the jacks which are preferably shaped in such a manner that they are rocked to a coupling position in which a cutout thereof engages a hook of the corresponding needle, or are rocked to a disengaged position in which the needle is free to be moved by the jack under the control of the respective other cam means. Preferably, the jacks have cam projections at the ends adjacent the cutout so that the advancing needle can engage the cam projection with its hook and rock the jack to a position permitting the hook to move into the cutout of the respective jack, whereupon a radial control cam rocks the jack to the coupling position in which the hook is located in the coupling cutout.

Yarn feeding means are located in the region of the gap between the cylinders for inserting yarn into the hook of the needle. A yarn carrier is provided for each stitch means of the first cam means and of the second cam means so that twice the number of yarn carriers as compared with the conventional machine are used in accordance with the apparatus and method of the present invention. The yarn carriers which are respectively associated with the first and second cam means and with the first and second set of jacks, alternate around the gap between the cylinders, and lead the respective stitch means in the direction of rotation of the cylinders to place the yarn alternately in the first and second hooks of each needle.

Methods are known for making a continuous knitted links and links fabric on a two cylinder circular knitting machine. In known circular knitting machines of this type, which are used for knitting links and links fabrics, and also knit and knit and ribbed fabrics, the corresponding portions of the cams of the cam boxes of the upper and lower cylinders are aligned in axial direction, so that the needles in each knitting system can work on both cylinders and can form loops on both sides of the cam boxes on a common knitting and feeding station. Each cam box has shiftable cam parts in its center by which the cams are coupled or disengaged from the needle.

The making of the continuous links and links fabric on machines of the known type and arrangement of the knitting system is possible, but inefficient since the aligned cam systems can only form one row of loops in each system. The other knitting forms which require a distribution of the needles to both needle cylinders, require a greater space for the system in circumferential direction of the cylinders so that the number of knitting systems is limited in the machines of the prior art. Consequently, the production of continuous links and links fabrics by the known method and knitting machines is limited. Generally speaking, the output of the links and links machines is low, because the necessary coupling of the jacks with the needles requires a low speed of the machine.

In accordance with the present invention, the disadvantages of known links and links circular knitting machines for making a continuous links and links knitted fabric are overcome by a novel arrangement of the knitting systems permitting an increase of the number of knitting stations and of yarn carriers resulting in a new method for making a continuous links and links knitted fabric.

In accordance with the method of the invention, the needles first form loops while mainly located in one cylinder, whereupon the needles are coupled with the jacks of the other cylinder and cause formation of another row of loops so that alternately one part of the machine knits a row of purl loops, and the other part of the machine knits a row of knit loops while no idle movements of the disengaged jacks take place.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a pair of jacks and a needle as used in the machine shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a developed view illustrating the cam arrangement of the cam boxes of a two cylinder circular knitting machine according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary axial sectional view taken on line 3-3 in FIG. 2 and illustrating the cylinders and cam boxes;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary schematicplan view of the machine illustrating the positions of knitting stations;

FIG. 5A is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale taken on line 5A5A in FIG. 2 and illustrating a first operational position of the machine;

FIG. 5B is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5B-5B in FIG. 2 and illustrating a second operational position;

FIG. 5C is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5C-5C in FIG. 2 and illustrating a third operational position;

FIG. 5D is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5D5D and illustrating a fourth operational position;

FIG. SE is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5E-5E in FIG. 2 and illustrating a fifth operational position;

FIG. SP is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5E-5F in FIG. 2 and illustrating a sixth operational position; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a fabric made in accordance with the method and apparatus of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the machine of the present invention is a two cylinder knitting machine with coaxial needle cylinders 50 and 51, each of which has a set of axially extending aligned slots 50a and 51a. First and second jacks 22 are respectively mounted in slots 50a and 51a for movement in axial direction of the cylinders. Each pair of jacks 22 cooperates with a needle 21 which has hooks at the ends thereof which can be closed by corresponding latches.

Each jack 22 has a butt 23 substantially in the middle, and a control butt 24 at the end thereof which is remote from the gap 53 between the circular edges of cylinders 56 and 51. Each jack engages the bottom of the corresponding slot with a non-linear, angular edge 22a which permits rocking of each jack between the position shown on the upper part of FIG. 3 and in the lower part of FIG. 3, respectively.

Each jack has a coupling cutout 25 in the region of the end which is closer to gap 53, and this end has a cam projection 22b which cooperates with a hook of the respective needle 21, as will be explained hereinafter. The lower jack in FIG. 3 is shown rocked to a coupling position in which a book of needle 21 is located in cutout 25 so that axial shifting of jack 22 will result in corresponding axial shifting of needle 21 in slot 51a. The upper jack in FIG. 3 is shown in a position in which the cutout 25 is spaced so far from the bottom of slot 50a that it could not engage the hook of needle 21.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, radial control cams 26, 27, 28 are provided in cam boxes 60 and 66a which act on the ends of the jacks during travel of the same with the rotary cylinders 50 and 51. The cam portions 26 are of such radial height as to hold jacks sliding along the same in the coupled position shown in the lower part of FIG. 3. Separate inserts in the cam boxes have recesses 28, which permit the pointed ends 22c of the jacks to move outward in radial direction to the position shown in the upper portion of FIG. 3. The rocking movement from the coupled position shown in the lower portion of FIG. 3 to the position shown in the upper portion of FIG. 3 can be accomplished by another group of radial earns 38 which cooperate with the control butts 24, or by engagement of cam projection 22b of a jack by the hook of needle 21, as will be explained hereinafter. The pointed ends 22c of jack 22 are used for opening the latches of the needles, and for holding the latches in the open position before they reach yarn carriers 30. In order to safely maintain needles 21 in the slots of the cylinders, radial cams 29 are provided in the cam boxes 60 and 60a which are slidingly engaged by the higher center portion of needles '21 when the same are moved from one cylinder into the other cylinder across gap 53.

As shown in FIG. 2, cam boxes 60 and 600 have channels 61 and 61a in which butts 23 of the jacks 22 are guided so that the jacks and thereby the needles are shifted in the slots of the cylinders. The cam channels 61 and 6111 are formed by cams 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 by which the jacks are advanced and retracted, and also by circumferentially spaced stitch cam means 36 and 37 which are operative during the loop formation. Stitch cam means 36 and 37 are adjustable, and each stitch cam means constitutes the ends of a section containing a knitting and feeding station. It will be seen that the stitch cam means 36, 37 of the lower cam box 60a are staggered to the stitch cam means 36, 37 of the upper cam box 60 a distance which is half the distance between adjacent stitch cam means 36, 37 on the cam box 60. It will be seen that a yarn carrier 30 leads each stitch cam means 36, 37 in the direction of rotation of the cylinders. Adjacent control cams 38 are spaced the same distance as the stitch cam means, and each yarn carrier 30 is provided in the region of the recessed control cam 28. Cams 29 are located between adjacent yarn carriers.

The paths 70 and 71 of the ends of a needle travelling with the cylinders are indicated by broken lines 70 and 71. The edges 55 and 56 of cylinders 50 and 51 forming gap 53 are indicated in broken lines in FIG. 2. A needle door 40 is provided between two adjacent sections of the lower cam box 60a, and since the needle door 39 in the upper cam box 60 is aligned with needle door 40, the respective section is made longer in circumferential direc tion and interrupted by the needle door 39.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the upper and lower cam boxes 60 and 60a .The solid radial lines represent the positions of the stitch cams in the lower cam box, and the broken radial lines the staggered positions of the stitch cams in the upper cam box. The upper stitch cams 36, 37 alternate with the lower stitch cams 36, 37 in the circumferential direction of the needle cylinders and cam boxes. Each cam box has ten stitch cams, so that the machine has twenty stitch cams, each of which is correlated with a yarn carrier 30 supplying a yarn, so that the machine has twenty knitting stations designated by the successive numbers 1 to 20 whereby twenty rows of loops are formed during one revolution of the knitting cylinders.

In order to produce a continuous links and links knitted fabric on the machine, the following operation is carried out:

The cylinders 50 and 51 rotate in the direction of the arrows at the right ends of the needle tracks 70 and 71. In the region of the needle doors 359 and 40, the jacks and the needle are in the positions shown in FIG. 5A. Cam ring portions 26 engage the ends 220 of the lower jacks 22 and hold the same in a coupling position in which the lower hook of needle 21 is located in the coupling cutout 25. The upper jack 22 is held in a corresponding position by a cam 27. Guide cam 29 engages the center portion of needle 21 to hold the same safely in the slot. The fabric is suspended on the upper hook by old loops.

Due to the shape of the cam channels 61 and 61a, jacks 22 start an upward movement. Since the lower jack 22 is coupled with needle 21, needle 21 is pushed upward so that the upper hook crosses the gap 53 and moves into the corresponding slot 56a of the upper cylinder 50. During such movement, the leading hook of the needle engages the cam projection 22b, and since the end 220 of the upper jack is located in the region of a recess 28 of control cam 27, see FIG. 5B, the upper jack 22 is gradually rocked along an inclined face of the recess 28 in cam 27 until the upper hook of the needle is located in the coupling cutout 25. A slanted face bounding recess 28 engages the jack during further movement, until the jack engages the radially higher portion of cam 27 and is rocked to the coupling position shown in FIG. 5C. During this operation, the jacks are not moved in axial direction of the cylinders, and the corresponding portions of cam channels 61 and 61A are horizontal. The old loops are retained by the edge of the upper cylinder in gap 53, and slide from the position shown in FIG. 5B over the open latches to the center ortion of the needles, as shown in FIG. 5 C. Since the loops are thus removed from the hooks, the same can be engaged by the coupling cutouts, as explained with reference to FIG. 5C. In this position, both jacks are coupled with the needle, and move the same. In the position of FIG. 5D, the radial control cam 38 has engaged the butt 24 at the lower end of the lower needle 22, and rocked needle 22 to a position in which coupling cutout 25 is disengaged from the lower hook of needle 21. Consequently, further movement of needle 21 takes place under the control of the upper jack 22 only.

Following the position of FIG. 5B, the lower cam channel 61a has a receding portion which causes downward movement of the lower jack 22. This does not influence the needle, since the lower jack is no longer coupled with the needle. The upper jack 22 has placed the needle in a position in which the open latch thereof is located opposite the yarn carrier 30 which places a yarn in the open hook. The old loop is held by the edge of the upper cylinder on the stem of the needle outwardly of the latch. Cam 29 of the upper cam box 60 engages the center portion of the needle and holds the same in place so that the lower end of the needle, which is no longer held by the lower jack 22, maintains its proper position. Directly after the yarn has been inserted into the hook, the upper jack reaches the region of the stitch cam means 36 and 37 of the upper cam box 60, as shown in FIG. SF. The needle is fully retracted into the upper cylinder, and its hook no longer projects into gap 53. The old loop, held by the edge of the upper cylinder, has closed the latch of the lower hook of the needle over the yarn laid by the yarn carrier into the hook, so that the old loop slips over the closed hook, while a new loop is formed and located in the lower hook of the needle, as shown in FIG. SF. The lower jack is further retracted into the lower cylinder. This retraction assures that the loop formation will not be impeded by the lower jack. The above described standard stitch forming operation has taken place in the region y in which the lower cam box has no stitch cam means, and as the cylinders continue to rotate and move the jacks through the region x in FIG. 2, the lower jacks perform the above described functions of the upper jacks, and the upper jacks perform the above described functions of the lower jacks under the control of the next following stitch cam means of the upper cam box so that the following row of loops is formed by the upper hooks of the needles. Consequently, the finished fabric will correspond to the illustration of FIG. 6, and alternate rows of the fabric will be formed under the control of the upper or lower stitch cam means by the lower or upper hooks of the needles, respectively, since the upper and lower stitch cam means alternate about the needle cylinders and are not aligned in pairs, as in the prior art.

Due to the fact that the corresponding cam channel portions of the upper and lower cam boxes are staggered half the circumferential lengths of the systems, idle movements of the jacks are eliminated. Furthermore, the number of feeding stations is doubled, so that the output of the machine is doubled as compared with conventional constructions, resulting in reduction of the cost of manufacture of the fabric.

It Will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of knitting machines differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a links and links knitting machine in which staggered stitch cam means control the shifting of a needle by pairs of jacks, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristfcs :of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A links and links knitting machine, comprising in combination, first and second rotary coaxial cylinders having aligned axially extending slots and forming a circular gap between each other; first and second jacks mounted in said slots of said first and second cylinders for movement in axial direction; cam box means including first cam means surrounding said first cylinder and second cam means surrounding said second cylinder, said first and second cam means engaging said first and second jacks, respectively, for moving the same in said slots during rotation of said cylinders, each cam means including stitch cam means circumferentially staggered half the distance between two consecutive stitch cam means of the respective other cam means; needles mounted in said slots for movement from each slot in one of said cylinders into the aligned slot in the respective other cylinder and across said gap, each needle having first and second hooks at the ends thereof, respectively; first and second control means mounted in said cam box means for coupling said first and second jacks with said needles and for disengaging said first and second jacks from said needles so that said needles are alternately moved by said first jacks under control of said first cam means and by said second jacks under control of said second cam means between first positions located in said slots of said first cylinder and second positions located in said slots of said second cylinder with said first and second books of said needles alternately passing through said gap; and yarn feeding means including a plurality of yarn carriers respectively correlated with said stitch cam means located between said cylinders in the region of said gap for inserting yarn into said hooks.

2. A links and links knitting machine, according to claim 1, each jack having a coupling cutout at the end thereof closer to said gap, and being mounted in the respective slot for rocking movement about said edge; each control means of said first and second control means including first radial control cams engaging said ends of said jacks for rocking the same to a coupling position in which said coupling cutout engages the hook of the respective needle to couple the same with said jack, said first control cam having recessed portions, and second radial control cams engaging the other ends of said jacks when said first-mentioned ends are in the region of said recessed portion whereby said jacks are rocked to a position disengaged from said needles in such a manner that in some positions of said cylinders said first jacks are coupled with said needles, in other positions said second jacks are coupled with said needles, and in further positions and first and second jacks are coupled with said needles so that said needles are alternately moved by said first jacks under control of said first cam means and by said second jacks under control of said second cam means between first positions located in said slots of said first cylinder and second positions located in said slots of said second cylinder with said first and second hooks of said needles alternately passing through said gap.

3. A links and links knitting machine, comprising in combination, first and second rotary coaxial cylinders having aligned axialy extending slots and forming a circular gap between each other; first and second jacks mounted in said slots of said first and second cylinders for movement in axial direction; cam box means including first cam means surounding said first cylinder and second cam means surrounding said second cylinder, said first and second cam means engaging said first and second jacks, respectively, for moving the same in said slots during rotation of said cylinders, each cam means including stitch cam means circumferentially staggered half the distance between two consecutive stitch cam means of the respective other cam means; needles mounted in said slots for movement from each slot in one of said cylinders into the aligned slot in the respective other cylinder and across said gap, each needle having first and second hooks at the ends thereof, respectively; first and second control means mounted in said cam box means for coupling said first and second jacks with said needles and for disengaging said first and second jacks from said needles so that said needles are alternately moved by said first jacks under control of said first cam means and by said second jacks under control of said second cam means between first positions located in said slots of said first cylinder and second positions located in said slots of said second cylinder with said first and second hooks of said needles alternately passing through said gap; and yarn feeding means located between said cylinders in the region of said gap for insetting yarn into said hooks and including a first yarn carrier for each stitch cam means of said first cam means and a second yarn carrier for each stitch cam means of said second cam means, said first and second yarn carriers alternating around said gap and leading the respective stitch cam means in the direction of rotation of said cylinders for placing the yarn alternately in said first and second hooks.

4. A links and links knitting machine, comprising in combination, first and second rotary coaxial cylinders having aligned axially extending slots and forming a circular gap between each other; first and second jacks mounted in said slots of said first and second cylinders for movement in axial direction, each jack being mounted in the respective slot for rocking movement; cam box means including first cam means surrounding said first cylinder and second cam means surrounding said second cylinder, said first and second cam means engaging said first and second jacks, respectively, for moving the same in said slots during rotation of said cylinders, each cam means including stitch cam means circumferentially staggered half the distance between two consecutive stitch cam means of the respective other cam means; needles mounted in said slots for movement from each slot in one of said cylinders into the aligned slot in the respective other cylinder and across said gap, each needle having first and second hooks at the ends thereof, respectively; first and second control means mounted in said cam box means, said control means including first and second radial control cams for rocking said first and second jacks between positions coupled with said needles and other positions releasing said needles so that said needles are alternately moved by said first jacks under control of said first cam means and by said second jacks under control of said second cam means between first positions located in said slots of said first cylinder and second positions located in said slots of said second cylinder with said first and second hooks of said needles alternately passing through said gap; and yarn feeding means including a plurality of yarn carriers respectively correlated with said stitch cam means located between said cylinders in the region of said gap for inserting yarn into said hooks.

5. A links and links knitting machine, comprising in combination, first and second rotary coaxial cylinders having aligned axially extending slots and forming a circular gap between each other; first and second jacks mounted in said slots of said first and second cylinders for movement in axial direction, each jack having a coupling cutout and being mounted in the respective slot for rocking move-ment; cam box means including first cam means surrounding said first cylinder and second cam means surrounding said second cylinder, said first and second cam means engaging said first and second jacks, respectively, for moving the same in said slots during rotation of said cylinders, each cam means including stitch cam means circumferentially staggered half the distance between two consecutive stitch cam means of the respective other cam means; needles mounted in said slots for movement from each slot in one of said cylinders into the aligned slot in the respective other cylinder and across said gap, each needle having first and second hooks at the ends thereof, respectively; first and second control means mounted in said cam box means, said control means including first and second radial control cams for rocking said first and second jacks, respectively, to positions in which said coupling cutout engages a hook of the respective needle to couple the same with the jack so that said needles are alternately moved by said first jacks under control of said first cam means and by said second jacks under control of said second cam means between first positions located in said slots of said first cylinder and second positions located in said slots of said second cylinder with said first and second hooks of said needles alternately passing through said gap; and yarn feeding means including a plurality of yarn carriers respectively correlated with said stitch cam means located between said cylinders in the region of said gap for inserting yarn into said books.

6. A links and links knitting machine, comprising in combination, first and second rotary coaxial cylinders having aligned axially extending slots and forming a circular gap between each other; first and second jacks mounted in said slots of said first and second cylinders for movement in axial direction, each jack having a non-linear edge and a coupling cutout and being mounted in the respective slot for rocking movement about said edge, said cutout being located at the end of the jack which is closer to said gap; cam box means including first cam means surrounding said first cylinder and second cam means surrounding said second cylinder, said first and second cam means engaging said first and second jacks, respectively, for moving the same in said slots during rotation of said cylinders, each cam means including stitch cam means circumferentially staggered half the distance between two consecutive stitch cam means of the respective other cam means; needles mounted in said slots for movement from each slot in one of said cylinders into the aligned slot in the respective other cylinder and across said gap, each needle having first and second hooks at the ends thereof, respectively, first and second control means mounted in said cam box means, said control means including first and second radial control cams engaging said jacks for rocking said first and second jacks, respectively, to positions in which said coupling cutout engages a hook of the respective needle to couple the same with the jack so that said needles are alternately moved by said first jacks under control of said first cam means and by said second jacks under control of said second cam means between firs-t positions located in said slots of said first cylinder and second positions located in said slots of said second cylinder with said first and second hooks of said needles alternately passing through said gap; and yarn feeding means located between said cylinders in the region of said gap for inserting yarn into said hooks and including a first yarn carrier for each stitch cam means of said first cam means and a second yarn carrier for each stitch cam means of said second cam means, said first and second yarn carriers alternating around said gap and leading the respective stitch cam means in the direction of rotation of said cylinders for placing the yarn alternately in said first and second hooks.

7. A knitting machine, comprising in combination, first and second needle beds having aligned slots and forming a gap between each other; first and second jacks mounted in said slots of said first and second needle beds; cam box means including first and second cam means engaging said first and second jacks, respectively, for moving the same in said slots during relative movement between said needle beds and said cam means, each cam means including stitch cam means circumferentially staggered half the distance between two consecutive stitch cam means of the respective other cam means; needles mounted in said slots for movement from each slot in one of said needle beds into the aligned slot in the respective other needle bed and across said gap, each needle having first and second hooks, respectively; first and second control means mounted in said cam box means for coupling said first and second jacks with said needles and for disengaging said first and second jacks from said needles so that said needles are alternately moved by said first jacks under control of said first cam means and by said second jacks under control of said second cam means between first positions located in said slots of said first needle bed and second positions located in said slots of said second need-1e bed with said first and second hooks of said needles alternately passing through said gap; and yarn feeding means including a plurality of yarn carriers respectively correlated with said stitch cam means for inserting yarn into said hooks.

8. A knitting machine, comprising in combination, first and second needle beds having aligned slots and forming a gap between each other; first and second jacks mounted in said slots of said first and second needle beds; cam box means including first and second cam means engaging said first and second jacks, respectively, for moving the same in said slots during relative movement between said needle beds and said cam means, each cam means including stitch cam means circumferentially staggered half the distance between two consecutive stitch cam means of the respective other cam means; needles mounted in said slots for movement from each slot in one of said needle beds into the aligned slot in the respective other needle bed and across said gap, each needle having first and second hooks at the ends thereof, respectively; first and second control means mounted in said cam box means for coupling said first and second jacks with said needles and for disengaging said first and second jacks from said needles so that said needles are alternately moved by said first jacks under control of said first cam means and by said second jacks under control of said second cam means between first positions located in said slots of said first needle bed and second positions located in said slots of said second needle bed with said first and second hooks of said needles alternately passing through said gap; and yarn feeding means located between said needle beds in the region of said gap for inserting yarn into said hooks and including a first yarn carrier for each stitch cam means of said first cam means and a second yarn carrier for each stitch cam means of said second cam means, said first and second yarn carriers alternating around said gap for placing the yarn alternately in said first and second hooks.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,465,465 3/1949 Miller 66-14 2,820,354 1/1958 Saunders 66-14 2,871,684 2/1959 Burdett 66--l4 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT R. MACKEY, Examiner.

R. FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LINKS AND LINKS KNITTING MACHINE, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, FIRST AND SECOND ROTARY COAXIAL CYLINDERS HAVING ALIGNED AXIALLY EXTENDING SLOTS AND FORMING A CIRCULAR GAP BETWEEN EACH OTHER; FIRST AND SECOND JACKS MOUNTED IN SAID SLOTS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CYLINDERS FOR MOVEMENT IN AXIAL DIRECTION; CAM BOX MEANS INCLUDING FIRST CAM MEANS SURROUNDING SAID FIRST CYLINDER, AND SECOND CAM MEANS SURROUNDING SAID SECOND CYLINDER, SAID FIRST AND SECOND CAM MEANS ENGAGING SAID FIRST AND SECOND JACKS, RESPECTIVELY, FOR MOVING THE SAME IN SAID SLOTS DURING ROTATION OF SAID CYLINDERS, EACH CAM MEANS INCLUDING STITCH CAM MEANS CIRCUMFERENTIALLY STAGGERED HALF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO CONSECUTIVE STITCH CAM MEANS OF THE RESPECTIVE OTHER CAM MEANS; NEEDLES MOUNTED IN SAID SLOTS FOR MOVEMENT FROM EACH SLOT IN ONE OF SAID CYLINDERS INTO THE ALIGNED SLOT IN THE RESPECTIVE OTHER CYLINDER AND ACROSS SAID GAP, EACH NEEDLE HAVING FIRST AND SECOND HOOKS AT THE ENDS THEREOF, RESPECTIVELY; FIRST AND SECOND CONTROL MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID CAM BOX MEANS FOR COUPLING SAID FIRST AND SECOND JACKS WITH SAID NEEDLES AND FOR DISENGAGING SAID FIRST AND SECOND JACKS FROM SAID NEEDLES SO THAT SAID NEEDLES ARE ALTERNATELY MOVED BY SAID FIRST JACKS UNDER CONTROL OF SAID FIRST CAM MEANS AND BY SAID SECOND JACKS UNDER CONTROL OF SAID SECOND CAM MEANS BETWEEN FIRST POSITIONS LOCATED IN SAID SLOTS OF SAID FIRST CYLINDER AND SECOND POSITIONS LOCATED IN SAID SLOTS OF SAID SECOND CYLINDER WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND HOOKS OF SAID NEEDLES ALTERNATELY PASSING THROUGH SAID GAP; AND YARN FEEDING MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF YARN CARRIES RESPECTIVELY CORRELATED WITH SAID STITCH CAM MEANS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID CYLINDERS IN THE REGION OF SAID GAP FOR INSERTING YARN IN TO SAID HOOKS. 